Kiln truck



NOV. 17, 1931. ROBERTSON 1,832,818

KILN TRUCK Filed April 24, 1929 2 Sheet-Shee 1 Nov. 17, 1931. H. M. ROBERTSON KILN TRUCK 2 Sheets-Shee 2 Filed April 24, 1929 Patented Nov. 17, 1931 HARRY M. ROBERTSON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO KILN TRUCK Application filed April 24,

This invention relates to a truck for conveying materials into kilns and supporting them therein during heating and burning, or their heating, burning and cooling. 1n

practice, trucks embodying my invention have been used for supporting and conveying materials through kilns of the continuous type.

One object of the invention is to provide a truck of this character having an improved material supporting or holding member comprising a base and integral webs so proportioned and related that the member may be cast from clay or a clay mixture and then dried and burned without danger of becoming distorted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a kiln truck having a material supporting or holding member formed from a clay mixture having a relatively low co-efiicient of expansion to reduce to the minimum danger of distortion of the member due to excessive changes in temperature while passing through a kiln chamber.

Another object of the invention is to pro- Vide an improved material supporting or holding member adapted to be carried by a kiln truck and comprising a base, portions of which extend laterally to either side of the truck frame and a plurality of spaced integral webs which rest on the truck frame and support and reinforce the base from side edge to side edge.

A further object of the invention is to provide a kiln truckrhaving amain body por tion adapted to project into and move through a longitudinally extending space formed in the bottom of a kiln chamber and support in the latter a material holding member which extends laterally beyond the side walls of the space and in spaced relation to the side and bottom walls of the chamber to allow circulation of the air, radiant heat or gases of combustion below such member, as F the truck moves relative to the several zones in thekiln chamber. 7

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved material holding member comprising a base and spaced transversely extending supporting Webs serving to per- 1929. Serial No. 357,742.

mit the heating and cooling mediums to pass or circulate under the base.

(lther objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates from the following description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a side view of a kiln truck embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation (enlarged) of the material supporting member.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the member.

Fig. i is a plan view of the member.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

liig. 6 is a transverse section of the truck on the line 6-6 of Fig.1 and also a transverse section of a kiln showing the relation of the truck and the material supporting member to the kilnwhile passingtherethrough.

In the drawings, 1 indicates as an en tirety a kiln of the continuous type having a longitudinally extending chamber 2 consisting of contiguous zones through which the material or ware to be treated is passed. 3 indicates a combustion space above the chamber 2. The bottom wall of the chamber 2 is formed centrally and longitudinally from end to end with a passage or space 4;, the

purpose of which will later appear.

The kiln 1 herein shown is preferably constructed similarly to the kiln disclosed and claimed in my copending application filed November 17, 1928, Ser. No. 320,17 5; I have shown only a portion of the kiln to illustrate one practical application of my invention.

5 indicates as an entirety a truck having suitable wheels 6 which roll on tracks 7, the

latter being related to the opening 4 to guide the truck relative thereto. The frame for the truck 5 comprises a sill 8, having at its opposite ends bolsters 9, each rigidly secured to an inverted, substantially U-shaped member 10, the legs of which have aligned journals, 11 for an axle 1:2 The sill 8 consists of a long, relatively narrow casting shaped to form a longitudinal recess or seat 13, the walls of which reinforce the casting to withstand thrusts incident to the force imparted endwise through these sills to move the loadly equal to the le ed trucks on their tracks from end to end of the kiln 1. 1 1 indicates a body member seated in the recess 13 and preferably co-extensive therewith. The body member 1 1 extends upwardly through the space 1 and carries on its upper surface one or more (preferably three) holding members 15 for the material or ware to be treated in the kiln chamber 2. The body member 14 is formed from suitable refractory material to withstand high temperatures in the kiln. The width or thickness of the member may be determined by the width of the space l with suitable cl arances to avoid contact with the sides of the space. The member 15- may be of any desired height so that its upper surface 14c may lie in any desired plane relative to the bottom wall of the chamber 2, and such surface may be widened laterally, as shown at 140. 13 indicates a groove disposed centrally and extending longitudinally of the surface and arranged to receive a complementary rib 17 provided on the member 15, as w'll later be set forth. The groove 16 and rib 1? may be reversed. The purpose of these elements is to interlock each member 15 to the body member 1 1 so that (1) the former will have a predetermined relation to the latter and hence be properly spaced within the chamber 2 and (2) the member will be held 'nst sliding laterally on the surface 1 1a oi the body member 1 1.

Each material holding member 15 comprises a base having a plurality of spaced webs 157), which extend in a direction transversely of the truck 5 or at right angles to direction of movement. The base 15a is preferably planular and extends laterally beyond the opposite sides of the truck body member 141, so as to be adaptable to a construction of kiln such as shown herein. As shown, the base 15a and each web have substantially equal thickness and their adjacent inner walls 18, 19, are provided with or connected by fillets 20, instead of defining one with another sharp angles which would make casting diiiicult and peunit cracks to result due to slight expansion or shrinkage. By integrally connecting the base and webs as shown, not only is casting of the member facilitated, but, the above referred to difliculties are eliminated. In my construction of holding members, the webs 15?) extend transversely to the direction of movement of the material. This permits the radiant heat or as the case may be or any other circulating medium to pass below the base from one side to the other in either direction. Due to the fact that the webs 15b extend transversely, the base 15a is longer in this direction than in the direction of movement of the truck, which permits me to mount a plurality of members 15, side by side, on each truck, their total width being approximatength of the truck so that the end members 15 on one truck will abut the end members on the adjoining trucks during movement of the latter through the kiln. The body member let being relatively narrow, the webs 15?) have seating portions 15?), preferably of a length equal to the width of the surface 14a, and from the opposite ends of these seating portions, the opposite end edges 150 of the webs extend upwardly at an inclination (see Fig. 2) to or near the free end walls of the base 15a, so that the latter is supported and reinforced from side edge to side edge and its cantilever or lateral portions are adequately supported. By inclining the web ends downwardly and inwardly as shown, obstruction to the circulation of the heat, gases or other mediun' into the spaces l'ietween webs is reduced and a larger portion of the base bottom is directly exposed to these mediums. its will be understood the interlocl ng ribs 17 are provided centrally of the seatingportions 15?).

The upper surface of the base 15c; is preferably provided with rip-standing bosses :21,

preferably in s iggered relation, By providing bosses, the ware laid thereon will be in spaced relation to the surface of the base so that operatives m" readily remove the ware. \Vhere tile or slabs are passed through the kiln, this space makes it possible to readily engage them with the hands or suitable implements.

In casting the holding members 15, I prefer to use clay or a clay mixture that has a rel tively low co-eilicientof expansion to reduce to a minimum danger of distortion due to excessively high temperatures and differences in temperature sum as are provided in the kiln chamber.

To those skilled in the art to which my invention relates many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and amplications of the invention will. suggest lie nselves withou deoarting from the spirit and scope thereo My disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are notintended to be in any sense lim; 1t1ng.

What laim 3 1. A. kiln truck comprising a wheel mounted frame, a vertically disposed body member forming support, and material holding member consisting of a base extending laterally to either side. of said body member and spaced webs extending from side edge to side edge of said holdin member and resting on said body member.

2. A kiln truck comprising a wheel mounted frame, a vertically disposed body member forming a support, and a material holding member consisting of a base extending laterally to either side of said body member and spaced webs extending from side edge to side edge of said holding member and resting on said body member, said webs extend- Ian ing transversely to the direction of travel of the truck.

3. A kiln truck comprising a wheel mounted frame, a vertically disposed bod member forming a support, a material olding member consisting of a base extending laterally to either side of said body member and spaced Webs extending from side edge to side edge of said holding member and resting on said body member, and interlocking elements letween one of said webs and said body mem- 4'. A kiln truck comprising a Wheel mounted frame, a vertically disposed, relativelynarrow refractory member forming a support, and a material holding refractory member consisting of a base extending laterally'to either side of said body member and spaced webs extending from side edge to side edge of said holding member and resting on said body member.

5. A holding member for conveying ma terial through a kiln chamber and formed from refractory material, said member comprising a base and spaced integral supporting and reinforcing webs having intermediate seating portions and upwardly inclined ends to support the lateral sides of the base.

6. A holding member for conveying material through a kiln chamber and formed from refractory material, said member comprisinga base and spaced integral support ing and reinforcing webs having intermediate seating portions and upwardly inclined ends to support the lateral sides of the base, and interlocking elements on said seating portions.

7. A holding member for conveying material through a kiln chamber and formed from refractory material and comprising a base and spaced integral supporting and reinforcing webs, said base and webs being of substantially equal thicknesses. V

8. A holding member for conveying material through a kiln chamber and formed from refractory material and comprising a base and spaced integral supporting and reinforcing webs, said base and webs being of substantially equal thicknesses and the webs having intermediate seating portions and upwardly inclined ends to support the lateral sides of the base.

9. A holding member for conveying material through a kiln chamber and formed from refractory material and comprising a base and spaced integral supporting and reinforcing webs, the adjacent walls between the bottom of the base and sides of the webs being joined with fillets.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

HARRY M. ROBERTSON. 

